Friday, April 23, 2010

In Venezuela’s Savanna, Clash of Science and Fire

In the name of science or in the name of tradition?Though America is creating a country of poor people and our standard of living will be lower for us all, there are countries poorer and that are still hold on to their way of life. People have to eat and survive and will us the only means they know how to do so.

“The government is wrong if it thinks the Pemón are its docile sheep in the savannas,” said Demetrio Gómez, 36, a Pemón leader who took part in a violent protest near Santa Elena de Uairén this year to dislodge squatters from Pemón land. “We burned these lands long before anyone else arrived,” he said, “and we’ll keep burning them into eternity.”